At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and will pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's gospel is made up of two very short parables: about the seed that sprouts and grows on its own and about the mustard seed (cf Mk 4:26-34). Through these images, taken from the world of farming, Jesus describes the efficiency of the Word of God and the demands of the Kingdom, demonstrating the reasons for our hope and our commitment throughout history.
In the first parable, our attention is fixed on the fact that the seed, sown in the earth, takes root and grows on its own, whether the farmer is asleep or awake. He is confident in the power within the seed itself and in the fertility of the soil. In the language of the gospel, the seed is a symbol of the Word of God, whose fertility is described by this parable. As the humble seed grows in the earth, so the Word is at work with the power of God in the heart of all those who listen. God has confided his Word to our world, that is to say to each one of us in the concreteness of our humanity. We can be confident, because the Word of God is a creative word, destined to become the full grain in the ear (Mk 4:28). This Word, if it is successful, certainly bears fruit, for God himself causes it to germinate and to grow by means that we cannot always identify and in ways that we do not always know (cf Mk 4:27). All this tells us that it is always God, always God who causes the Kingdom to grow - this is why we pray may your Kingdom come - and He himself causes it to grow. Man is his humble collaborator, who contemplates and rejoices in God's creating action and patiently awaits the bearing of His fruit.
The Word of God causes growth, gives life. Here, I want to remind you again of the importance of having the Gospel, the Bible, taking it with you - a small copy of the Gospels in your purse, or in your pocket - and of feeding every day on the living Word of God: read a little bit of the gospel every day. Please, don't ever forget this, because it is the strength that allows the Kingdom of God to grow within us.
The second parable uses the image of the mustard seed. Despite being the smallest of all the seeds, it is full of life and grows until it becomes the greatest of all the plants on earth (Mk 4:32). It's the same with the Kingdom of God: a reality that is humanly small and apparently irrelevant. In order to be part of it, we must be poor in heart; not relying on our own capacity but on the potential of the love of God; not acting in such a way as to become important in the eyes of the world, but precious in the eyes of God, who favours the simple and the humble. When we live like this, we burst forth through the strength of Christ and transform what is small and modest into a reality that is a leaven for the entire world and for all of history.
From these two parables, there is an important lesson for us: the Kingdom of God requires our collaboration, but it is above all, the work of and the gift of the Lord. Our feeble efforts, apparently small compared with the complexity of the problems of the world, when combined with the work of God, are not afraid of difficulties. The Lord's victory is sure: his love will make every seed of goodness on earth sprout and grow. This allows us to trust and to hope, despite the dramas, the injustices, the sufferings that we encounter. The seed of good and of peace grows and develops; it causes the merciful love of God to mature.
May the Holy Virgin, who listened like a fertile land to the planting of the divine Word, support us in this hope that never disappoints.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today is the World Day of Blood Donors. Thousands of people contribute silently in this way to help their brothers and sisters who are in difficulty. To all the donors, I express my appreciation and I especially invite young people to follow their example.
I greet you all, dear Romans and pilgrims: parish groups, families and associations. In particular, I greet the faithful from Debrecen (Hungary), from Malta, from Houston (United States) and from Panama; and from Italy, the faithful from Altamura, Angri, Treviso and Osimo.
A special thought for the community of Romanian Catholics living in Rome and for the boys from Cerea who have recently been Confirmed.
I greet the group that remembers all the missing persons and I assure them of my prayer. I am also close to all the labourers who integrally defend the right to work, which is a right to human dignity!
As was previously announced, on Thursday of this week, an Encyclical Letter on the care of creation will be published. I invite you to accompany this event with renewed attention to situations of environmental degradation, but also to work toward rehabilitating your own territories. This Encyclical is addressed to all people: let us pray that all people will receive its message and grown in their responsibility for the common house that God has confided to us all.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's gospel is made up of two very short parables: about the seed that sprouts and grows on its own and about the mustard seed (cf Mk 4:26-34). Through these images, taken from the world of farming, Jesus describes the efficiency of the Word of God and the demands of the Kingdom, demonstrating the reasons for our hope and our commitment throughout history.
In the first parable, our attention is fixed on the fact that the seed, sown in the earth, takes root and grows on its own, whether the farmer is asleep or awake. He is confident in the power within the seed itself and in the fertility of the soil. In the language of the gospel, the seed is a symbol of the Word of God, whose fertility is described by this parable. As the humble seed grows in the earth, so the Word is at work with the power of God in the heart of all those who listen. God has confided his Word to our world, that is to say to each one of us in the concreteness of our humanity. We can be confident, because the Word of God is a creative word, destined to become the full grain in the ear (Mk 4:28). This Word, if it is successful, certainly bears fruit, for God himself causes it to germinate and to grow by means that we cannot always identify and in ways that we do not always know (cf Mk 4:27). All this tells us that it is always God, always God who causes the Kingdom to grow - this is why we pray may your Kingdom come - and He himself causes it to grow. Man is his humble collaborator, who contemplates and rejoices in God's creating action and patiently awaits the bearing of His fruit.
The Word of God causes growth, gives life. Here, I want to remind you again of the importance of having the Gospel, the Bible, taking it with you - a small copy of the Gospels in your purse, or in your pocket - and of feeding every day on the living Word of God: read a little bit of the gospel every day. Please, don't ever forget this, because it is the strength that allows the Kingdom of God to grow within us.
The second parable uses the image of the mustard seed. Despite being the smallest of all the seeds, it is full of life and grows until it becomes the greatest of all the plants on earth (Mk 4:32). It's the same with the Kingdom of God: a reality that is humanly small and apparently irrelevant. In order to be part of it, we must be poor in heart; not relying on our own capacity but on the potential of the love of God; not acting in such a way as to become important in the eyes of the world, but precious in the eyes of God, who favours the simple and the humble. When we live like this, we burst forth through the strength of Christ and transform what is small and modest into a reality that is a leaven for the entire world and for all of history.
From these two parables, there is an important lesson for us: the Kingdom of God requires our collaboration, but it is above all, the work of and the gift of the Lord. Our feeble efforts, apparently small compared with the complexity of the problems of the world, when combined with the work of God, are not afraid of difficulties. The Lord's victory is sure: his love will make every seed of goodness on earth sprout and grow. This allows us to trust and to hope, despite the dramas, the injustices, the sufferings that we encounter. The seed of good and of peace grows and develops; it causes the merciful love of God to mature.
May the Holy Virgin, who listened like a fertile land to the planting of the divine Word, support us in this hope that never disappoints.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today is the World Day of Blood Donors. Thousands of people contribute silently in this way to help their brothers and sisters who are in difficulty. To all the donors, I express my appreciation and I especially invite young people to follow their example.
I greet you all, dear Romans and pilgrims: parish groups, families and associations. In particular, I greet the faithful from Debrecen (Hungary), from Malta, from Houston (United States) and from Panama; and from Italy, the faithful from Altamura, Angri, Treviso and Osimo.
A special thought for the community of Romanian Catholics living in Rome and for the boys from Cerea who have recently been Confirmed.
I greet the group that remembers all the missing persons and I assure them of my prayer. I am also close to all the labourers who integrally defend the right to work, which is a right to human dignity!
As was previously announced, on Thursday of this week, an Encyclical Letter on the care of creation will be published. I invite you to accompany this event with renewed attention to situations of environmental degradation, but also to work toward rehabilitating your own territories. This Encyclical is addressed to all people: let us pray that all people will receive its message and grown in their responsibility for the common house that God has confided to us all.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
No comments:
Post a Comment